Retainer-bar for wardrobe-trunks.



P. C. SCHROEDER. RETAINER BAR FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS.

APPLICATION HLED DEC. I7, 1914.

Patented June 6, 1916.

ZIIIII/ /I g m Inventor:-

Pau? f n Cizfaeczer UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL C. SCHROEDER, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SEARS. ROEBUCK ANDCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RETAINER-BAR FOR WARDROBE-TRUNKS.

Application filed December 17, 1914.

To all whom it may comer-n:

Be it known that I, PAUL Scunonunlz, a citizen of the United States.residing at Chicago, in the county of (ook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Retainer-Bars for\Vardrobe-Trunks, of which the following is a s )ecification.

eretofore the retainer-bars of wardrobe trunks have been so constructedthat in order to: release the clothing it has been necessary to reinovethe retainenbar bodily from the trunk; In replacing the rctainenbar itwas necessary to attend particularly to the matter of properlyassociating the ends of the bar with the cooperating devices in thetrunk. It was also necessary to manipulate the locking devices thatsecured the retainerbar at the desired place in the trunk.

Among the objects of my invention are to obviate the necessity ofremoving the retainer-barfrom the trunk, and to provide a locking meansfor locking the retainer-bar in contact with the clothing, said lockingmeans being operable in the simple act of placing the bar in the desiredposition.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmental perspectiveviewof one section of a wardrobe trunk showing my improvements appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse horizontal sectional view of said trunksection. Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmental sectional views taken in the planeof dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 5 and illustrating the operation of thelocking means. Fig. 5 is a view looking from the left-hand side of Fig.3.

A denotes a section of a wardrobe trunk. Upon the inner longitudinalwalls of said trunk section are fixed two guide bars 1, upon which theretainer-bar 2 is slidable toward and away from the bottom or back ofthe trunk section. The bar 2 consists of two hinged sections, theadjacent ends of the sections being arranged to be locked togetherinalinement by means of a latch 3 of any ordinary or preferredconstruction. When the latch 3 is opened, the two sections of the bar 2may be swung apart (as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2} for theinsertion or removal of clothing from the opposite ends of the bar 2 areidentical, it

Will be sufiicient to describe one of them.

Specification of Letters Patent.

atenled June 6, 1916.

Serial No. 877,728.

The end of the bar section is secured to a. bracket 4, which ispivotally connected by means of a pin 5 to a slide (i. The slide 6 ismovable lengtlnvise of the guide bar 1. Said slide carries a clampmember 7 having an opening T through which the guide bar 1 extends. Theclamping member 7 has an angular lug 11 which extends loosely through anopening 8 in the slide 6. The clamping member 7 is adapted to have alimited pivotal movement in the opening 8.

9 is a coiled spring surroi'inding the guide bar 1 and interposedbetween a portion of the slide 6 and the clamping member 7.

10 is an angular. lug on the inner end of the bracket 4, said lug beingadapted to engage the lug 11 and move the clamping member 7 intoinoperative position.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the position of the parts when theretainer-bar 2 is locked on the guide bars 1. \Vhen the latch 3 isreleased and the sections of the retainer-bar are swung apart, the lugs10 engage the lugs 11 and tilt the clampingmembers 7 so as to disengagesaid members from the guide bars 1. After the desired changes have beenmade in the contents of the trunk, the slides are pushed inwardly to anextent corresponding to the thickness of the layer' of clothing, and thetwo sections of the retainerbar are then swung together and secured bymeans of the latch 3. In the operation of swinging the sections of theretainer-bar toward each other the clamping members 7 are automaticallyactuated by the springs 9 to clamp the slides 6 on the guide bars 1. As

indicated in Fig. 3, the edges of the walls of the openings 7frictionally engage the bars 1 to prevent outward movement of the slides6.

It will be seen that the retainer-bar remains attached at all times tothe trunk; that it may be readily operated to release the clothing; andthat no particular attention is required in locking the bar againstoutward movement.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a. trunk, the eombination of a casing, two members slidable insaid casing, two retainer-bar sections, each pivotedat one end to one ofthe slidable members, a latch for joining the opposite ends of saidsections, and means for locking the slidable members against movement.

2. Ina trunk, the combination of a casing,

two retainer-bar sections each movably conslideon each guide bar, tworetainer-bar sections, each pivoted at one end to one of the slides,means to hold said sectionsin substantial alinement, and means arrangedto engage the guide bars to lockthe slides agalnst movement in onedirection.

4. In a trunk, the combination of a casing,

guide bars at opposite 'sidesof said casing, a slide on each guide bar,two retainer-bar sections, each pivoted atone end to one of.

the slides, means to hold said sections in substantial alinement,' aclamping member pivoted on each slide and arranged to engage theadjacent guide bar, springs tending to move the clamping membersintooperative position; and means actuated by-the retainer-bar sections formoving the clamping members into inoperative position.

5. In a trunk; the combination of a casing, guide. bars at oppositesides of said casing, a slide oneach guide bar, two retainer-barsections, each pivoted at one end to one of the slides, means forholding the sections in sub stantial alinement, a clamping member pivoted on each slide and arranged to engage the adjacent guide bar,springs tending to 'move the clamping members into engagement with theguide bars, each clamping member having a lug, and a lug on each retainer-bar section arranged to engage the lug on the adjacent clampingmember for moving said clamping member'- into inoperative position. i

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.-

PAUL o. 'SCHROEDER.

In the presence of E. L. CURTIs, C. J Coxswa n].

00910: of this patent may be obtained tor five qeutl each. by addressingthe "commissioner of latuu.

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